“Where Will U Go Next?” For me, with the help of a roof rack cargo carrier, the answer is camping in Yellowstone. For a week and with three of my friends I will be camping in one of America’s first and most beautiful national parks. This caused a problem though. How to fit 4 people and all of their gear in a small SUV?
Deciding on a Roof Rack Cargo Carrier
There are many options other than rooftop cargo carriers if you need to carry more cargo than your car normally allows. You can rent larger vehicle. This option works well, but can be expensive depending on how long you need the extra space for. Renting a trailer is a great option for carrying more cargo. The advantage is that a lot more cargo can be towed with a trailer, but I did not need quite so much space. There are hitch mounted cargo carriers. They can carry a bit more cargo than most roof rack cargo carriers, but can be more expensive than roof rack cargo carriers, and take up more space when not in use. For me rooftop cargo carriers fit my needs for a small amount of extra space combined with value and ease of storage when not in use.
The Roof Rack
You will need to have a roof rack pre-installed on your vehicle. My vehicle did have a roof rack, but did not have cross bars installed. I was able to go online and purchase the cross bars from an automotive dealership that were designed for my vehicle. There are also 3rd party cross bars that will fit on a variety of vehicles. The installation of my cross bars was extremely easy. It only involved 4 screws, and the screwdriver was even provided in the box for me.
The Cargo Carrier
There are many different types of cargo carriers. There are hard shelled cargo carriers. There are cargo baskets that can go on your roof rack, and there are soft cargo bags. What I decided upon was a soft cargo bag because of the combination of low price and ease of storage when not in use. I specifically decided to go with the Rain-X Waterproof Rooftop Cargo Carrier. I found it to be a great value while still providing full waterproofing. You never know what weather you will encounter on the road.
Installation and Use
Different cargo carriers have different installation methods including clamps, clasps and straps. To install the one that I purchased you unroll it from its carrying case and place it empty on your vehicle’s roof between the rails. Be sure that your vehicle and the cargo bag are both clean. Any and or grit can cause scratches in your pain and on your roof rack. Once it is on the roof you can load it. Don’t try to load anything too heavy into the cargo carrier. Once it is loaded you need to secure it. The bag that I purchased came with straps. Secure the straps to the rack and the cross bars and tighten them until your load is secure. If you do not have straps or a cargo net, they can be purchased online.
Once your cargo carrier is installed and loaded there is nothing between you and the open road. Where will you go with your new found cargo space?
Have you ever used a roof rack cargo carrier? What were you transporting? Let us know in the comments below.
